Fast & Furious

Blu-Ray Review: Great Release For Disappointing ‘Fast & Furious’

BrianTT — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:20:46 -0600

CHICAGO – The Blu-Ray release of Universal’s “Fast & Furious,” also now available on DVD, is a tough one for a critic who hated the film when he had to review it in theaters. “Fast & Furious” is not a good movie, even when judged against the relatively low standards of this lackluster franchise. But the Blu-Ray? It’s pretty great.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

I have to give credit where credit is due and admit that there are a lot of fans of “Fast & Furious” out there. (Trust me. I heard from a lot of them after my theatrical review.) And it’s always great to see fans treated well by a studio and the Blu-Ray release of “Fast & Furious” really delivers for fans of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster.

We’ll get to the detailing on this tricked-out Blu-Ray, but the fact is that most people pick up DVDs or Blu-Rays for the movie itself. And there’s the conundrum of reviewing a title like this one - “Fast & Furious” is a disappointment, even if the Blu-Ray for it is phenomenal.

(L to R) Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reteam as agent Brian OConner and fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed.
Photo credit: Jaimie Trueblood and Universal

With dialogue that a ten-year-old would have edited out, dull performances from two leads who clearly just took the roles for the sizable paychecks that came with reuniting the original film’s cast, and only two real racing sequences, “Fast & Furious” should be a let-down for even the most hardcore fans of one of the most successful franchises of the ’00s.

The exceedingly goofy opening sequence (although you’ll soon realize that the boring film could have used more over-the-top moments like the opener) brings Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his girl Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) back to the forefront as they try to hijack a massive gas tanker train while it speeds down the hill.

Fast and Furious was released on Blu-Ray on July 28th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

Dom’s gang splits up, but a tragedy brings Toretto back to the States and into the lives of his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), who has become a tough, on-the-edge FBI agent. Brian happens to be investigating a drug-trafficking ring led by a mysterious crime lord who has a personal connection to Dom. When they realize that they’re trying to bring down the same guy, Dom and Brian are forced to work together again.

“Fast & Furious” is neither. It’s “Slow & Drowsy,” not providing nearly enough actual racing, sexy girls, or witty banter - the things people rent a movie like this one looking for. No one wants to see Brian & Dom infiltrate a drug ring and TALK about driving. They want to see action.

To be fair, there are a couple of neat sequences, including a film highlight where Dom and Brian race to get into the gang. It’s the only time that director Justin Lin comes alive, bouncing cars off each other and sending them screaming around corners with frenetic glee. Sadly, the movie features much more talking about illegal driving than actual pedal to the metal.

When it does get loud, “Fast & Furious” sounds absolutely incredible with a perfectly-mixed English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that could be used to show off stereo systems. The video, in 1080p with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, matches it. Whatever problems you may have with “Fast & Furious,” it looks and sounds amazing, as a movie like this needs to do in order to work at all. Forget suspension of disbelief. Drown it out with DTS audio and HD picture.

And it’s not just the technical specs that make “Fast & Furious” an above-average Blu-Ray release. The two-disc set includes the great U-Control, this time with two features - “Take Control,” a standard-but-well-made look at the making of the film, and “Virtual Car Garage,” an up-close inspection of the cars in the film that also allows for you to create your own custom vehicle and share it with your friends. One of my favorite things about Blu-Ray is U-Control and this is yet another great use of the technology.

Through BD-Live, viewers can create their own “Fast & Furious” mash-up, using action and music from the film, and share it with friends, they can also use the BD-Live Center to chat with friends and even upload their own webcam commentary of the film.

The interactive, Blu-Ray exclusives would be enough but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. “Fast & Furious” features several behind-the-scenes featurettes and an entire short film called “Los Bandeleros”. The feature-quality, 20-minute short stars Diesel and other cast members and details the events leading up to the opening scene of the film. An extra 20-minute prequel? What fan is not going to love that? It’s hard to believe that anyone could walk away from the “Fast & Furious” Blu-Ray release and not be satisfied with the interactivity, short film, and wealth of behind-the-scenes information.

So, the film itself is still a 1 on a five point scale but the Blu-Ray presentation is close to a 5. We’ll split the difference. Before the “Fast & Furious” gang gets together for a fifth film, they should actually take a look at their own Blu-Ray. It delivers for their fans in a way that the film itself only pretends to do.

‘Fast & Furious’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Michelle Rodriguez. It was written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on July 28th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena’

BrianTT — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:30:50 -0600

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Vin Diesel should stick to making video games. After headlining last month’s “Wheelman” and this month’s “The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena,” I have to admit that I like the actor more as a video game hero than I do as a movie star. “Athena” gives fans the most bang for their buck of anything the actor has been involved with in years.

Diesel’s last several feature films - “Fast & Furious,” “Babylon A.D.,” “The Pacifier” - haven’t exactly been his best work. The actor who once seemed so charismatic in films like “Boiler Room” and “Pitch Black” seemed bored by his own routine. However, with two very good games released within weeks of each other, Diesel has proven that he can be a reliable commodity in the gaming world.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Photo credit: Atari

Of course, Diesel voices the title character in “Assault on Dark Athena,” a sequel to the acclaimed 2004 game “The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay,” itself a tie-in to the David Twohy films “Pitch Black” and “The Chronicles of Riddick”. “Butcher Bay” was a massive hit for the Xbox and the sequel was highly anticipated.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Photo credit: Atari

So, does “Dark Athena” live up to the high standard set by its predecessor? It very nearly does but you can decide for yourself with one purchase. In one of the best deals of the year, Atari has packaged an enhanced version of “Butcher Bay” on the same disc as “Dark Athena”. It literally is two games for the price of one.

“Dark Athena” picks up immediately where “Butcher Bay” ended (something that makes the inclusion of the first game on the disc even cooler because you’re literally just continuing the same adventure). Riddick is trapped on the Merc-ship Dark Athena, not only trying to escape but to solve several mysteries of the ship itself. There’s the child wandering through the air vents, the prisoners who could be allies or foes for Riddick, and the twisted leader of Athena, Captain Revas. She’s a very memorable villain.

The gameplay of “Dark Athena” essentially mixes stealth with an average shooter, as Riddick works his way through enemy soldiers, prisoners, and even unmanned drones. The drones are former humans who are now merely remote-controlled robots. The level where you get to actually pilot one of them is one of the gaming highlights of the year to date.

What truly separates “Dark Athena” from average first-person shooters is the variety of gameplay. It’s a title than can be played very stealthily. If you’ve seen any of the Riddick films, you know that his skill set features his ability to see in the dark. So, the player can activate a mode that allows them stealth against their enemies. Sneak up and break their neck or slice-and-dice with your wicked Ulak blades. Of course, the other option - running at them with your weapon armed and taking them down old-school - is always on the table.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Photo credit: Atari

It’s the variety of combat - melee, shooter, counter-attacks, the multiple weapons available - that is the highlight of “Dark Athena”. The enemies and levels become repetitive, but the gameplay alleviates the biggest problem with most FPS games. And the second half of the game, which throws Riddick into sunlight, completely changes the gameplay.

As for the storytelling in “Dark Athena,” it’s a little rough. “Butcher Bay” had a more interesting narrative and the dialogue in “Athena” is horrendous. The voice work is good but the actual lines wouldn’t pass for a B-movie script. But you won’t notice and none of the cut scenes go on for too long. There are some oddly lengthy load times in the PS3 version I played, but, for the most part, the game is pretty smooth.

Most players won’t care. “Dark Athena” is a fun, well-paced, clever game that’s actually topped by another complete experience on the same disc, the slightly better “Butcher Bay”. And don’t worry Riddick fans. If you’ve played “BB” before, you’ll still want to do so again. Not only has it held up surprisingly well over the years, but it’s been remastered for the next-gen consoles, polished up in HD and even enhanced in gameplay. It’s like a “Special Edition” of one of your favorite games.

And that’s not even it. There’s a multiplayer mode with a variety of options including deathmatch, capture the flag, and arena matches. In “Butcher Bay Riot,” three teams battle for control of a power cell. “Pitch Black” mode is easily the best and the most unique to the title - perfectly merging the stealth aspects of the title with multiplayer, as players try to battle Riddick in total darkness with only flashlights to guide the way.

The amazing “The Orange Box” earned high praise for giving gamers the most value for their money. “The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena” is close to that great title in the “bang for the buck” department. In today’s tough economic times, how can a buyer complain about two complete, well-designed, fun games (and an elaborate, unique multiplayer mode) for the cost of only one?

‘The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena’ was released by Atari and developed by Starbreeze Studios. It is rated M (Mature). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the Xbox 360 and PC. It was released on April 7th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: Fast, Furious ‘Wheelman’ With Vin Diesel is Guilty Pleasure

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:34:22 -0600

CHICAGO – Midway’s “Wheelman” is my guilty pleasure game of the season. I know the game has some serious design flaws, but like an action movie you watch over and over again, the flaws are easier to forgive in the name of old-fashioned fun. “Wheelman” is far from a perfect game and with a few tweaks it could have been a classic, but that doesn’t mean its B-movie charms should be ignored.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

It’s tempting to describe “Wheelman” as a video game tie-in with the recently smash hit “Fast & Furious”. Both the game and the Paul Walker movie share two important things in common - fast cars and Vin Diesel. As a part of his entertainment onslaught that includes “Fast & Furious,” the video game “The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena” (which will be reviewed here later this week), and the Blu-Ray releases of “Pitch Black” and “The Chronicles of Riddick,” Diesel brings to life the role of Milo Burik, the lead in “Wheelman”. Vin Diesel is back in a big way.

Wheelman
Photo credit: Ubisoft/Midway

Milo is the titular character, an American working for three Barcelona gangs. The story of “Wheelman” is loose at best. Honestly, I found myself skipping the cut scenes more often than I usually do, but considering the amount of people forgiving of Diesel’s acting skills in “Fast & Furious,” they might be intrigued by what he has to say in “Wheelman”.

Diesel’s character is a hired foot. A guy with the skills behind the wheel when a gang needs something done. Naturally, “Wheelman” is a series of gang-related missions like stealing a gas tanker or chasing a runaway train down a tunnel. In between missions, players can perform a variety of side missions like evading police, causing damage, or even the classic “Taxi” side mission. Success in the side missions supposedly offers incentives like faster cars but none of them felt remotely necessary to completing the bulk of the game. They’re a bit too superfluous.

Wheelman
Photo credit: Ubisoft/Midway

None of the missions, especially the side ones, are particularly creative, but “Wheelman” satisfied my need for speed more consistently than any driving game in a while. (Certainly more than the actual last installment of “Need For Speed”). The game is essentially a variation on the “Grand Theft Auto” model if all of that game’s missions were vehicle-based.

“Wheelman” falters the most when Milo gets out of his car and picks up his gun. The gunplay interface alternates between messy and boring. This is not a very well-designed shooter and whenever I got a mission that involved Milo working his way through cover and bad guys with his gun instead of his vehicle, I was a little disappointed.

Luckily, those aren’t that common. “Wheelman” is a goofy, B-movie of a game. When you knock an enemy car around the Barcelona streets enough that it bursts into flames, it’s hard not to smile or even laugh out loud. One of the most ridiculous moves of the game is the “airjack” in which you can maneuver Milo to jump from one moving car to another one. See a flashier, faster car in front of you? Airjack it. Just the concept is B-movie (or B-game) gold.

And that’s far from the only over-the-top, B-movie element of “Wheelman”. Perform enough daring moves and you’ll build your “Focus,” a meter that allows you to slow time and shoot your enemy without taking your hands off the wheel. It’s hilariously over-the-top, just another fun and funny element to this B-game.

That’s the best way to describe “Wheelman”. It’s a B-game with a classic B-movie action star behind the wheel. It’s repetitive, the side missions needed more refinement, and the story isn’t very interesting, but who cares when there’s enough action to keep the player smiling and laughing throughout the single player experience? “Wheelman” never tries to more than a diverting good time and, judged on that level, it completely works.

Check out this great “Wheelman” preview:

‘Wheelman’ was released by Midway Games/Ubisoft and developed by Midway Newcastle - Tigon Studios. It is rated T (Teen). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the Xbox 360 and PC. It was released on March 24th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Fast & Furious’ With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker is Loud, Boring, Useless Drivel

BrianTT — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:01:48 -0600

Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – It took eight years to reunite the cast of the original “The Fast and the Furious” - Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Michelle Rodriguez. What’s changed in that time? The franchise lost two articles and gained an ampersand. Maybe the next film will simply be called “F F”. I can think of one word that starts with ‘F’ that certainly applies to the latest film - failure.

With dialogue that wouldn’t pass an eighth-grade English class, two lethargic lead performances by a pair of actors who might as well be wearing signs that say “for the paycheck,” and only two real racing sequences, “Fast & Furious” is likely to let down even the most forgiving and hardcore fans of one of the more successful franchises of the ’00s.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Fast & Furious” in our reviews section.

“Fast & Furious” opens with an exceedingly goofy and illogical sequence in which Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his girl Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) attempt to hijack gas tankers while speeding down a hill. Why they don’t just hijack them when the driver is taking a leak at a rest stop isn’t clear. Prepare to not just suspend your disbelief but destroy it if you want to make it through “Fast & Furious”.

After a tanker goes boom in a CGI effect that looks awkward now and will look ridiculous in just a few years, Dom’s gang decides that things have gotten a bit too dangerous and they need to split up for a while or risk attracting the attention of the feds. Dom and Letty split until he receives a phone call from his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) that she’s been murdered and he’s forced back to the States to avenge her death.

‘Fast & Furious’ stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Michelle Rodriguez. It was written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin. It opens on April 3rd, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Fast & Furious” review.

Slideshow: 38-Image Gallery From ‘Fast & Furious’ With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:30:54 -0600

CHICAGO – This 38-image slideshow contains the press images for Universal’s “Fast & Furious,” starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, John Ortiz, and Laz Alonso. Written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin, the film opens on Friday, April 3rd, 2009.

Synopsis: “Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed — Fast & Furious. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.”

“When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O’Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what’s possible behind the wheel.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. Photos 1-28 are credited to Jaimie Trueblood. Photos 29-38 are stills from the film. All images courtesy of Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.

fast_furious_01: (L to R) Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reteam as agent Brian OConner and fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed.
fast_furious_02: Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto.
fast_furious_03: Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) drives his 1970 Dodge Charger.
fast_furious_04: Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) tries to talk sense into her brother, fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel).
fast_furious_05: Brian OConner (Paul Walker) reunites with long-lost love Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster).
fast_furious_06: Gal Gadot as the treacherous Gisele.
fast_furious_07: Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) pulls up in a 1970 Chevy Chevelle.
fast_furious_08: (L to R) Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto and director Justin Lin on the set.
fast_furious_09: (L to R) Don Omar and Tego Calderón play two members of the Dominican Republic heist crew.
fast_furious_10: Daredevil Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) prepare for the fuel heist.
fast_furious_11: (L to R) Michelle Rodriguez as daredevil Letty, Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto and director Justin Lin.
fast_furious_12: Fugitive ex-con Dom (Vin Diesel) gives a hand to daredevil Letty (Michelle Rodriguez).
fast_furious_13: Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto.
fast_furious_14: (L to R) Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto and agent Brian OConner.
fast_furious_15: The cars line up for an illegal street race.
fast_furious_16: Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) ramps his 1970 Chevy Chevelle.
fast_furious_17: Paul Walker as agent Brian OConner leans against his 1998 Nissan Skyline GTR.
fast_furious_18: (L to R) Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto and agent Brian OConner.
fast_furious_19: (L to R) Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), henchman Fenix (Laz Alonso), drug runner Campos (John Ortiz) and the treacherous Giselle (Gal Gadot).
fast_furious_20: Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) races his 1970 Chevy Chevelle.
fast_furious_21: Paul Walker as agent Brian OConner.
fast_furious_22: The 1970 Chevy Chevelle of Dom leads the race in a high-speed tunnel crawl across international lines.
fast_furious_23: John Ortiz as drug runner Campos.
fast_furious_24: (L to R) Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reteam as agent Brian OConner and fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto.
fast_furious_25: Laz Alonso as the henchman Fenix.
fast_furious_26: Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) parties after a successful heist.
fast_furious_27: Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) worries about Dom.
fast_furious_28: (L to R) Paul Walker as agent Brian OConner, Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto and director Justin Lin on the set.
fast_furious_29: Michelle Rodriguez as daredevil Letty.
fast_furious_30: Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto.
fast_furious_31: (L to R) Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), drug runner Campos (John Ortiz) and agent Brian OConner (Paul Walker) make a deadly deal.
fast_furious_32: The cars line up for an illegal street race.
fast_furious_33: A driver gets smashed during an illegal street race.
fast_furious_34: The cars rocket along an illegal street race through L.A..
fast_furious_35: (Center two cars) Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) preps his 1970 Chevy Chevelle while agent Brian OConner (Paul Walker) revs his 1998 Nissan Skyline GTR.
fast_furious_36: Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto.
fast_furious_37: Fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) ramps his 1970 Chevy Chevelle while agent Brian OConner (Paul Walker, far right) revs his 1998 Nissan Skyline GTR.
fast_furious_38: Daredevil Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and fugitive ex-con Dom (Vin Diesel) try to outmaneuver a runaway oil tanker.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

The Best, Worst 2009 Super Bowl Movie Commercials

BrianTT — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:36:42 -0700

CHICAGO – While Al Michaels and John Madden may have been talking about the incredible play of Santonio Holmes and Larry Fitzgerald in the 2009 Super Bowl, audiences around the world were bombarded with previews for big movies for the summer of 2009 by studios hoping that their films would be the real subject of post-game conversation.

A total of 11 major spots aired during the annual festivities including “Land of the Lost,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra,” “Angels & Demons,” “Fast & Furious,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Up,” “Year One,” “Star Trek,” “Duplicity,” “Race to Witch Mountain".

What did we learn from the movie commercials during last night's game? Besides the fact that nothing from your childhood is safe any more? (From "Land of the Lost" to "G.I. Joe," it's only a matter of time before the Hollywood machine works its way through every toy and TV show of your youth.) Which previews were the best and which were the worst? Let us offer our opinion. Watch the previews yourself and leave your own.

THE BEST

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Here’s the sign of a sequel preview that works - it gets even the people who didn’t like the first movie talking about it. Selling a sequel to a fans of the original is like shooting fish in a barrel, but the spot for the second “Transformers” movie created the biggest “whoa” ripple of any of Sunday night’s ads among viewers. With almost no dialogue, massive explosions, and effects that look more impressive than the first, “Revenge of the Fallen” scored a touchdown. There’s no doubt that what will probably be at least the loudest if not the biggest movie of the summer was a perfect fit for the most over-the-top TV event of the year.

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” was directed by Michael Bay and stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Rainn Wilson, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Isabel Lucas, and Tyrese Gibson. It opens on June 26th, 2009.

“Land of the Lost”

It’s hard to tell with just 45 seconds, but the spot for “Land of the Lost” popped up, got people talking, and got out. The jury may still be deliberating if the movie will be any good but the blend of comedy and action has summer family hit written all over it. In a summer overrun with high-profile sequels, the spot for “Land of the Lost” did exactly what it needed to in under a minute - start building buzz.

“Land of the Lost” was directed by Brad Silberling and stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, and Jorma Taccone. It opens on June 5th, 2009.

“Duplicity”

Clive Owen and Julia Roberts in a spy/romantic comedy with tones of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”? Where do I sign up? Written and directed by the man behind “Michael Clayton,” the spot for “Duplicity” doesn’t give away too of the actual film but offers just enough of a taste to get audiences intrigued. This spot ran early in the game when a lot of people were still arriving at parties and filling out their squares, so it doesn’t have quite the same buzz the morning after, but it was still one of the best.

“Duplicity” was directed by Tony Gilroy and stars Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson, and Paul Giamatti. It opens on March 20th, 2009.

“Year One”

I might be a little blinded by this one. The actual spot is just so-so, but the idea of Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, David Cross, and Jack Black sharing screen time has me as excited as any summer comedy. Considering Sunday night was packed with high-budget action movie commercials, it was refreshing to see something funny and low-key, changing speed from the predictable blockbuster ads that we were all expecting to see.

“Year One” was directed by Harold Ramis and stars Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, David Cross, Paul Rudd, Oliver Platt, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Hank Azaria. It opens on June 19th, 2009.

“Up”

I agree that this one doesn’t work as well as the early ads for “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” or “WALL-E,” but Pixar has built up so much goodwill with their amazing streak of brilliance that a lot can be foprgiven. In fact, it’s clear that they’re aware of that, using clips from their last few movies to get audiences prepared for “Up.” I was hoping for more footage and something, a visual image or great line, to get people buzzing this morning. The spot is oddly forgettable. But I’m also pretty confident that this is just the beginning and we’ll see some great stuff soon. This was just a taste.

“Up” was directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson and features voice work from Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Ed Asner, and Delroy Lindo. It opens on May 29th, 2009.

2009 Universal Pictures Preview: ‘Public Enemies,’ ‘State of Play,’ ‘Fast & Furious,’ ‘Land of the Lost,’ More

BrianTT — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:29:54 -0700

CHICAGO – Universal has released a slate of new images from their 2009 schedule of films. We brought you information and the first available images last year, but we’re back with 23 more exciting images.

This 23-image slideshow contains official press images and schedule information for the announced slate of films to be released by Universal Pictures in 2009 including new movies starring Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe, Matt Damon, Benicio Del Toro, Vince Vaughn, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Johnny Depp, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

These 2009 Universal Pictures include, in release order, “Fast & Furious,” “State of Play,” “Fighting,” “Wild Child,” “Drag Me to Hell,” “Land of the Lost,” “Public Enemies,” “Funny People,” “The Wolfman,” “The Green Zone,” “The Boat That Rocked,” “The Last House on the Left,” “Couples Retreat,” and “25/8”. All films have images in the slideshow below.

The release dates, cast lists, and filmmaker information for these Universal Pictures films can be found below in release date order, followed by a slideshow of available images.

“Fast & Furious”
Release Date: April 3, 2009
Genre: Action-Thriller
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso
Directed by: Justin Lin
Written by: Chris Morgan

“Fighting”
Release date: April 24, 2009
Genre: Action
Cast: Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Brian White,Luis Guzmán, Zulay Henao
Directed by: Dito Montiel
Writers: Dito Montiel, Robert Munich

“Wild Child”
Release date: May 8, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Shirley Henderson, Alex Pettyfer and Aidan Quinn
Directed by: Nick Moore
Writers: Lucy Dahl

“Drag Me to Hell”
Release date: Friday, May 29, 2009
Genre: Horror
Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, David Paymer, Dileep Rao
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Written by: Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi

“Land of the Lost”
Release date: June 5, 2009
Genre: Comedy Adventure
Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone
Directed by: Brad Silberling
Screenplay by: Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas

“Public Enemies”
Release date: July 1, 2009
Genre: Action
Cast: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Channing Tatum, Billy Crudup, Leelee Sobieski, Emilie de Ravin, Giovanni Ribisi
Directed by: Michael Mann
Screenplay by: Credits TBA

“The Wolfman”
Release date: November 6, 2009
Genre: Action-Horror
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Screenplay by: Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self

“The Green Zone”
Release date: TBD
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Khalid Abdalla
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Written by: Brian Helgeland

“The Boat That Rocked”
Release date: TBD
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Gemma Arterton, January Jones, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Darby
Directed by: Richard Curtis
Written by: Richard Curtis

“The Last House on the Left”
Release date: TBD
Genre: Suspense thriller
Cast: Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Sara Paxton, Garret Dillahunt, Martha MacIssac, Riki Lindhome
Directed by: Dennis Iliadis
Screenplay by: Carl Ellsworth

“Couples Retreat”
Release Date: TBD
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Ackerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk and Jean Reno
Writers: Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Dana Fox
Story by: Vince Vaughn
Directed by: Peter Billingsley

“25/8”
Release date: TBD
Genre: Suspense thriller
Cast: Max Thieriot, John Magaro, Emily Meade, Nick Lashaway, Denzel Whitaker, Shareeka Epps, Paulina Olszyinski, Raúl Esparza
Written and Directed by: Wes Craven

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to ©Universal Pictures. All rights reserved. Specific photographer credits where noted.

FastAndFurious_1: Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reteam as agent Brian O Conner and fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed. Photo Credit: Jaimie Trueblood
FastAndFurious_2: Vin Diesel as fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto in the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed. Photo Credut: Jaimie Trueblood
StateOfPlay_1: Newspaper editor Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) demands answers from reporters Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) and Cal McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) in a blistering political thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in a case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson
StateOfPlay_2: D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) questions U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) in a blistering political thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in a case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson
Fighting_1: Manager Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) gives hard advice to star brawler Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) in the action film Fighting. Photo Credit: Philip V. Caruso
Fighting_2: Star brawler Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) faces off with nemesis Evan Hailey (Brian J. White) in Shawns latest bout in the action film Fighting. Photo Credit: Philip V. Caruso
WildChild_1: Pampered American princess Poppy (Emma Roberts) arrives at boarding school in a comedy about a 16-year-old who meets her match in a school of British girls who will not tolerate her spoiled ways. Photo Credit: Bill Kaye
WildChild_2: Josie (Linzey Cocker), pampered American princess Poppy (Emma Roberts) and Kate (Kimberly Nixon) in a comedy about a 16-year-old who meets her match in a school of British girls who will not tolerate her spoiled ways. Photo Credit: Giles Keyte
DragMeToHell: Loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) unearths a fresh grave in director Sam Raimi?s return to the horror genre, an original tale of a young woman?s desperate quest to break an evil curse. Photo Credit: Melissa Moseley
LandOfTheLost: Redneck survivalist Will (Danny Mcbride), has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) and research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) are surrounded by painfully slow Sleestaks in a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost. Photo Credit: Ralph Nelson
PublicEnemies: Johnny Depp stars as legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger, the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of the fledgling FBI, in the new action-thriller from filmmaker Michael Mann, Public Enemies. Photo Credit: Peter Mountain
Funny_People: Leslie Mann, Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Eric Bana star in writer/director Judd Apatow?s third film behind the camera, Funny People, the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience. Photo Credit: Tracy Bennett
Wolfman_1: Mr. Conliffe (Robert East), Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) and Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins) in the action-horror inspired by the classic Universal film that launched a legacy of horror, The Wolfman. Photo Credit: Frank Connor
Wolfman_2: Inspired by the classic Universal film that launched a legacy of horror, The Wolfman brings the myth of a cursed man back to its iconic origins. Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels
GreenZone: Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass re-team for their latest electrifying thriller in Green Zone, a thriller set in the chaotic early days of the Iraqi War when no one could be trusted and every decision could detonate unforeseen consequences. Photo Credit: Jason Boland
BoatThatRocked: Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as big, brash American DJ The Count in The Boat That Rocked, the new comedy from writer/director Richard Curtis that is inspired by the British pirate radio revolution of the ’60s. Photo Credit: Alex Bailey
BoatThatRocked_2: Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as big, brash American DJ The Count in The Boat That Rocked, the new comedy from writer/director Richard Curtis that is inspired by the British pirate radio revolution of the 60s. Photo Credit: Alex Bailey
LastHouseOnTheLeft_1: Krugs (Garret Dillahunt) vicious family in the suspense thriller that explores how far two ordinary people will go to exact revenge on the sociopaths who harmed their child. Photo Credit: Lacey Terrell
LastHouseOnTheLeft_2: Krug (Garret Dillahunt) taunts his captive, Mari (Sara Paxton), in the suspense thriller that explores how far two ordinary people will go to exact revenge on the sociopaths who harmed their child. Photo Credit: Lacey Terrell
LastHouseOnTheLeft_3: Dr. John (Tony Goldwyn) and Emma Collingwood (Monica Potter) hunt killers in the suspense thriller that explores how far two ordinary people will go to exact revenge on the sociopaths who harmed their child. Photo Credit: Lacey Terrell
CouplesRetreat: Kristen Bell, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk, Malin Ackerman, Vince Vaughn, and Jason Bateman in the upcoming comedy Couples Retreat, directed by Peter Billingsley and written by Jon Favreau. Photo Credit: John Johnson
25_8_1: Friends Alex (John Magaro), Bug (Max Thieriot) and Jerome (Denzel Whitaker) sense a killer is near in the latest suspense thriller from writer/director Wes Craven. Photo Credit: Nicole Rivelli
25_8_2: Bug (Max Thieriot) can feel an evil presence in the latest suspense thriller from writer/director Wes Craven. Photo Credit: Nicole Rivelli

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

2009 Universal Pictures Preview: ‘Duplicity,’ ‘The Wolfman,’ ‘State of Play,’ ‘Drag Me to Hell,’ ‘Land of the Lost,’ More

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:48:02 -0700

CHICAGO – This new HollywoodChicago.com slideshow features production stills for films in the recently released 2009 Universal Pictures film slate.

These 2009 Universal Pictures films include “Duplicity,” “The Wolfman,” “State of Play,” “Wild Child,” “Drag Me to Hell,” “Land of the Lost,” “Fast and Furious,” “Funny People” and “Cirque du Freak”. The release dates, cast lists and filmmaker information for these Universal films can be found below.

“Duplicity”
Release date: March 20, 2009
Genre: Caper
Cast: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti
Written and directed by: Tony Gilroy
Produced by: Jennifer Fox, Kerry Orent and Laura Bickford
Executive producer: Ryan Kavanaugh

“The Wolfman”
Release date: April 3, 2009
Genre: Action/Horror
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving and Art Malik
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Screenplay by: Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self
Based on the motion picture screenplay by: Curt Siodmak
Produced by: Scott Stuber, Benicio Del Toro, Rick Yorn and Sean Daniel
Executive producers: Bill Carraro, Andrew Z. Davis

“State of Play”
Release date: April 17, 2009
Genre: Political thriller
Cast: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels and Helen Mirren
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Screenplay by: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy and Billy Ray
Based on the BBC TV series created by: Paul Abbott
Producers: Andrew Hauptman, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
Executive producers: Paul Abbott, E. Bennett Walsh, Liza Chasin and Debra Hayward
Note: No images are currently available for this film

“Wild Child”
Release date: May 8, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Shirley Henderson, Alex Pettyfer and Aidan Quinn
Directed by: Nick Moore
Written by: Lucy Dahl
Produced by: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Diana Phillips
Executive producers: Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward

“Drag Me to Hell”
Release date: May 29, 2009
Genre: Horror
Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Jessica Lucas, David Paymer and Dileep Rao
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Written by: Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi
Produced by: Rob Tapert and Grant Curtis
Executive producers: Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake

“Land of the Lost”
Release date: June 5, 2009
Genre: Comedy/Adventure
Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel and Jorma Taccone
Directed by: Brad Silberling
Screenplay by: Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas
Based on the series “Land of the Lost” by: Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft
Producers: Jimmy Miller, Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft
Executive producers: Julie Wixson-Darmody, Daniel Lupi, Adam McKay and Brad Silberling

“Fast and Furious”
Release date: June 12, 2009
Genre: Action/Thriller
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz and Laz Alonso
Directed by: Justin Lin
Written by: Chris Morgan
Based on characters created by: Gary Scott Thompson
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell
Executive producer: Amanda Lewis

“Funny People”
Release date: July 31, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, RZA, Aubrey Plaza, Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow
Written and directed by: Judd Apatow
Produced by: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend
Executive producers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo

“Cirque du Freak”
Release date: TBD
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Cast: John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson, Patrick Fugit, Ray Stevenson, Michael Cerveris, Frankie Faison, Jane Krakowski, Orlando Jones, Kristen Schaal and Salma Hayek
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Writers: Brian Helgeland and Paul Weitz
Based on the book series by: Darren Shan
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Paul Weitz and Ewan Leslie
Executive producers: Dan Kolsrud, Andrew Miano, Kerry Kohansky, Sarah Radyclyffe and Courtney Pledger

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. Unless otherwise noted, all image credits for this 2009 Universal Pictures preview go to Universal Pictures.

duplicity: “Duplicity” with Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti.
thewolfman: “The Wolfman” with Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving and Art Malik.
wildchild: “Wild Child” with Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Shirley Henderson, Alex Pettyfer and Aidan Quinn.
dragmetohell: “Drag Me to Hell” with Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Jessica Lucas, David Paymer and Dileep Rao.
landofthelost: “Land of the Lost” with Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel and Jorma Taccone.
fastandfurious: “Fast and Furious” with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz and Laz Alonso.
funnypeople: “Funny People” with Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, RZA, Aubrey Plaza, Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow.
cirquedufreak: “Cirque du Freak” with John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson, Patrick Fugit, Ray Stevenson, Michael Cerveris, Frankie Faison, Jane Krakowski, Orlando Jones, Kristen Schaal and Salma Hayek. Image credit: Empire

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com